After cleaning up, I head over to the sorority house to pick up Marissa. When I walk up to the porch, I find Abby sitting on the railing, smoking a cigarette.

“I wouldn’t go in there,” she warns me as I’m about to knock on the door.

“Why is that?”

“The girls have been trash talking you all day,” she shrugs, hopping down from the railing. “I’ll text her to let her know that you’re here.”

“Thanks,” I say. “Why exactly were they talking about me?”

She fires off a text and stuffs her phone in her pocket, taking another puff of her cigarette. “You’re not exactly the talkative type, yet you always seem to show up when it’s convenient for you. Then there’s the fact that nobody knows much about you. It’s kind of creepy and if you haven’t noticed, we’re protective of each other.”

I laugh. “I can assure you that Marissa will be in good hands tonight when we go out to dinner. Regardless whether you know much about me, there’s no denying the fact that I’m always very helpful, I’m kind, and respectful.” I take a few steps toward her to close up the distance between us. “And unlike a lot of the other guys that I’ve seen on campus, I’m not here to put notches in my bedpost. I happen to think Marissa is one of a kind.”

She scoffs. “One of a kind, huh? How so?”

I shouldn’t have to defend my opinion about her but since she’s asking, I’ll let her know why Marissa stands out from the rest of the crowd.

“For starters, she’s intelligent, generous, and she has integrity. She’s also selfless when it comes to helping others and that’s a quality that you don’t see too often in people these days. She’s not self-absorbed like a lot of people.” The door opens so I stop talking for a moment but it’s just one of the other girls heading out. “And she deserves a good guy.”

“Let me guess,” she says. “You’re that good guy?”

I nod, “I think I am.”

“We’ll see about that,” she eyes me with doubt, blowing a smoke ring in my face. “But she’s a big girl and can handle herself. Just know that if you hurt her in any way, you’ll be toast.”

Before I can respond, Marissa opens the door and she looks stunning. Her hair is pulled back in a loose braid and something about her makeup looks different. Her eyes have a sexy, smokey look—I like it. Her plump peach lips shimmer even against the dimly lit porch from the dusk evening sky.

“Are you ready?” She asks, pulling her purse strap onto her shoulder.

“After you,” I say, gesturing toward the stairs.

Making our way down the sidewalk, I can’t help but notice her tight sweater that perfectly hugs her firm breasts. It matches her skinny jeans and it’s damn near impossible not to stare at her petite, curvy silhouette.

“What were you and Abby talking about?” She questions.

“Not much, really. We were just making small talk while I waited for you,” I smile at her.

God, she’s so gorgeous. How can I be so lucky to have found a girl like her?

“How come you waited on the porch? You could’ve came inside.”

“Oh, Abby offered to text you for me. She was acting like your guardian and said you were almost ready, but really, I think she just wanted to feel me out.”

I open the car door for her before sliding into the driver’s seat and driving us to Georgina’s for a quiet, Italian dinner.

“Well,” she sighs, adjusting herself in the seat. “Don’t pay any attention to my sorority sisters. They can be a pain in the ass but they mean well. I hope she didn’t say anything that made you feel uncomfortable. Abby kind of has a mind of her own.”

“Not at all,” I say. “I take everything with a grain of salt anyway. Like they teach in my class, live by the rule of five.”

“What’s the rule of five?” She quizzes.

“If it won’t matter in five years, don’t let it bother you. Basically, don’t sweat the small stuff.”

She nods and pushes out her bottom lip. “I like that rule. I think I’ll incorporate that into my life.”

Our hostess seats us near a large window once we arrive and it’s a perfect, clear night. The salmon evening sky has set and blossomed into a velvety, unclouded sky. It’s a nice break from all the rain we’ve been getting lately.

“So,” she says, swallowing a sip of wine. “Your mom was really nice and I enjoyed meeting her. Does she always greet everyone like that? She was so friendly, I just loved her.”

“Mmhmm. My mom is a wonderful woman. She’s sweet, thoughtful, and hard-working. I couldn’t have asked for a better mother.”

“That’s so sweet!” She gushes. Biting her lip, she twirls her fettuccine noodles on her fork. “Where’s your dad? Was he working or something?”

“No,” I shake my head. “Well, maybe, I don’t know. My dad’s never really been around. He left when I was pretty young and I’ve never had any contact with him since.”

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” she says. I can tell she feels bad but it’s okay. I’ve learned to live with it because I’ve come to understand that people can be selfish and it’s okay to only have one parent. “I had no idea. You’ve never mentioned him, so I assumed you weren’t close. God,” she shields her face with her hand. “I’m such an ass.”

“It’s okay,” I assure her. “You get used to people asking and telling them that he was never there, but the best thing about my dad walking out on us was that it taught me to always turn negatives into positives. It’s what fueled me to work hard in school and study why people behave the way they do and to learn what motivates them. We have the best psychology professors and listening to them has really given me a lot of perspective and insight on my life, and now I’ve made it my mission to help others.”

“Awww,” she says, her eyes rimmed with tears. “That has to be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. That is a really good way of looking at things.”

After a little too much wine, we decide to take a cool evening walk under the clear sky. The stars look like specks of glitter littering a black canvas.

“I’ve had a great time today,” she says. “Thank you so much for helping out with the decorations for Satan’s Revenge. It’s going to be a hit because of you!”

“It’s my pleasure. I’d do anything to help because it’s a great cause. Helping those kids? It means a lot to me because I know firsthand how hard parents can struggle, so the fact that all of the proceeds are going to help families in needs is important in my books.”

“I feel the same w—,” she stumbles, but I catch her.

“Whoah, be careful. I’ve got you,” I say. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. The heel of my shoe just got caught on that raised crack,” she points to the sidewalk.

It’s starting to get chilly since we’ve walked almost three blocks so I ask her what she wants to do next.

“It’s still early and I don’t want to go back to the sorority house just yet. How about we hang out at your place for a bit?”

“Sure, we can do that but don’t mind the mess. I’ve been pretty busy lately so I’ve not had much time to pick up.”

“Are you kidding me?” She laughs. “I practically live with a pack of swines who leave makeup, clothes, flat irons, purses, and shoes all over the place—and never want to clean.”

“Fair enough,” I say. “Then, to my place it is.”

Just what I was hoping she’d say.